The Link Between Animal Abuse And Domestic Violence

Animal Abuse Research Paper Every single day thousands of animals are forced into shelters due to abuse and are eventually euthanized. Animal abuse can be defined as “non-accidental, socially unacceptable behavior that causes pain, suffering or distress to and/or the death of an animal” (Ascione & Shapiro, 2009). There are two main categories of animal cruelty—active and passive. These two groups can also be mentioned as commission and omission respectively. However, not only does animal cruelty negatively affect the animals, but it has an enormous impact on the abuser and the abuser’s family as well. In fact, research demonstrates that there is a direct link between animal abuse and domestic violence where animal abusers are five times more common than non-abusers to have a history of criminal behavior (Henry, 2004). Ultimately, animal abuse has a devastating and wide reaching effect as it not only damages the victimized animal, but also impacts the abuser as well.

Those actions can be broken down into two categories: active, and passive (Pet Abuse, 2014). Active cruelty, or acts of commission, can be characterized by cases where a person intentionally harms an animal with malicious intent. Domestic animal abuse in violent homes can happen for many reasons. Pet Abuse.com (2014) reports that a violent parent or partner may often kill or severely threaten to kill a pet in order to intimidate family members and force them into sexual exploitation, to remain silent about past incidents or abuse, or simply to exert their